5th May. Far from the madding crowd

I’ve never been one for all that ‘let’s drive to the coast because it’s a Bank Holiday’ nonsense. I was often moaned at in the past with the words “If a rare bird turned up then you’d go” Too true but I don’t like hospitals either – however if my leg were hanging off I’d go to one!!

So with this in mind I decided on a walk from Pit-house West to Whiston Meadows via Treeton . In short an antisocial walk, on my own, avoiding Chav soaked RV, which by now (11ish) would be warming up to the distant (Zula like) base boom of a thousand Vauxhall Corsa’s descending on it.

Pit-house West was quiet apart from around 10 Reed Warblers some of which were singing from the surrounding trees – something that I only noticed after the floods last year. Woodhouse Washlands, with the human count standing at only 3, was very quiet apart from lots of Whitethroats and a couple of pairs of Lapwing. Next stop Treeton Dyke and firstly the tip area which disappointingly only produced a Garden Warbler. I was perhaps over optimistic thinking that the Dyke might come up with a Black Tern or Little Gull – it didn’t. However a piece of floating debris in the middle of the Dyke turned out to be a spanking male Garganey which promptly flew off. Fortunately I relocated it in the bay at the Northern end where it sat showing off its splendour for the next 30 minutes. Jo phoned me with the offer of a lift home so I decide to quit whilst ahead.

Back home my Bank Holiday relaxation was interrupted by a phone call informing me of a Woodchat Shrike just down the road at North Anston. A quick dash and we were watching it flycatching from a line of hawthorn. A cracking find for one lucky individual who apparently found a Great Grey a few yards away last month.